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Fox News "Fox News Sunday" - Transcript

Interview

WALLACE: The core of the debate goes to a basic constitutional provision, the right to bear arms, does this tragedy change or limit that?

Joining me now, Republican Congressman Louie Gohmert of Texas.

Congressman, welcome.

GOHMERT: Great to be with you, Chris.

WALLACE: Attorney General Holder spoke out about the shooting on Friday. Let's take a look at what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERIC HOLDER, ATTORNEY GENERAL: We need to discuss who we are as a nation, talk about the freedoms that we have, the rights we have and how those might be used in a responsible way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: What do you think about his comments about our rights and our freedoms, being use in a responsible way?

GOHMERT: Well, I think coming from him, that is really important to note coming from a man who is over a department that forced the sale of guns to people that would bring them about the death of people like Brian Terry and, there should be national outrage about Mexicans, our neighbors, 200 or more, that have killed by the guns that his department have forcibly -- are forced to be sold.

So, he's right. And really, Senator Durbin is right.

But the conversation we have got to have has got to have everybody open-minded. I mean, we all react emotionally, that's why we have all shed tears and our prayers will continue to go to the people in Connecticut who have lost loved ones.

WALLACE: All right, after the movie theater shooting that we've referred to in July, in Aurora, Colorado. You said that what we need is more people carrying weapons, so that if a shooter comes into a movie theater with a gun, somebody can stand up and defend him and defend other people.

Question -- and this is the question Dick Durbin had -- do we really want folks at movie theaters and shopping malls and schools armed?

GOHMERT: Once we have this actually open dialogue about the situation, Chris, you find out that -- and John Lott has done some great investigation and study into this. Every mass killing of more than three people in recent history has been in a place where guns were prohibited. These -- except for one, they choose this place, they know no one ill be armed.

You know, having been a judge and having reviewed photographs of these horrific scenes and knowing that children have these defensive wounds, gun shots through their arms and hands as they try to protect themselves, and, hearing the heroic stories of the principal, lunging, trying to protect -- Chris, I wish to god she had had an M-4 in her office, locked up so when she heard gunfire, she pulls it out and she didn't have to lung heroically with nothing in her hands, but she takes him out, takes his head off before he can kill those precious kids.

WALLACE: I understand the right to bear arms and the Supreme Court has made it clear that the founders meant what they said when they put the right to bear arms in the Constitution, but let me ask you the question Dick Durbin asked. Why do people need these semi- automatic weapons?

I was reading about the Glock he had and the Sig Sauer he had, five bullets a second. There is the Bushmaster. I mean, these were created for law enforcement. These were created for the military. Why does the average person -- I can understand a hunting rifle, I can understand (inaudible), why do they need these weapons of mass destruction?

GOHMERT: Well, for the reason George Washington said a free people should be an armed people. It ensures against the tyranny of the government. If they know that the biggest army is the American people, then you don't have the tyranny that came from King George. That is why it was put in there, that's why once you start drawing the line, where do you stop? And that's why it is important to not just look emotionally our reaction Chris is to immediately say let's get rid of all guns, but that's why you do that as a judge, you react emotionally, but you use your head and you look at the facts.

And the face facts are that every time guns have been allowed, concealed-carry has been allowed, the crime rate has gone down. Washington, D.C. around us ought to be the safest place in America and it's not. Chicago ought to be safe. It's not, because their gun laws don't work.

WALLACE: Congressman, thank you. Thanks for coming in today. We will see where this debate goes from here.